About Us
Our goal is to develop and implement a culturally responsive, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) prevention program for African American young adults in Louisiana.
Project PEER addresses a critical need to provide and scale-up sustainable prevention peer navigation services to African American young adults who are at high risk of developing HIV and/or SUDs. Primary implementation occurs at SUBR, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) that serves the target population and is located in Baton Rouge, LA, a high-risk geographic catchment area with significant disparities in HIV and SUDs prevalence and incidence. Over the course of 5-years, the project will directly serve 1,350 students through campus and community-wide educational sessions and testing events, and 5,000 African American young adults through the launch of the Project PEER mobile-health app.
Project Goals
- Adapt existing evidence-based HIV and SUDs prevention and peer navigation interventions to meet the needs of African American young adults
- Provide HIV and SUDs prevention and linkages to care services to African American young adults
- Implement campus- and community-wide HIV and SUDs prevention risk behavior and risk reduction public awareness campaigns
- Increase testing/screening for HIV and SUDs to prevent transmission, facilitate linkages to care, and enhance treatment as prevention outcomes
- Train community providers on integrating HIV/AIDS testing and SUDs screening in service provision
Services Provided
- Testing
HIV and viral hepatitis with linkages to care services provided by Lead Navigator - Screening
Substance use disorder(s) with linkages to care services provided by Lead Navigator - Supply Distribution
Condoms
At-home HIV testing kits
At-home HCV (Hepatitis C) testing kits
- Education and Training
HIV and Substance Use Disorders
Community Partners
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Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program
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O’Brien House
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Eternal Crisis Outreach Inc.
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Open Health
Behavioral Counseling and Education Services LLC
Southern University Partners
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University Counseling Center
Office of Disability Services
Project PEER Team
Ebonee Johnson, Ph.D.
University of Iowa Project Director
Ebonee-Johnson@uiowa.edu
Susan Flowers, Ph.D.
Southern University Project Director
susan_flowers@subr.edu
Milan Jackson, B.S.
Lead Navigator
milan.jackson@sus.edu
Jeremy Swanston
Graphic Designer
Jeremy-Swanston@uiowa.edu
Amber Hawkins
Graduate Assistant
Amber-Hawkins@uiowa.edu
Danette Brown
Project Consultant
(HIV)
Joseph Pete, Ph.D.
Project Consultant
(Substance Use Disorders)
Duhita Mahatmya, Ph.D.
Data Manager & Project Evaluator
Robert Benton
Student Navigator
Johnathan Benton
Student Navigator
Anaya Vaughn
Student Navigator
Agye Mintah
Student Navigator
Kiara Simms
Student Navigator
Community Advisory Board
Joseph Pete, Ph.D.
Capital Area Recovery Program
Danette Brown
Ryan White Program Administrator, City of Baton Rouge
Sonya Milliman
Harm Reduction and Prevention Coordinator, Capital Area Re-Entry Program
Lindsay Allen, LPC
Professional Counselor 5/Supervisor; Capital Area Human Services
Christine Gibson
Prevention Services Program Director; O’Brien House
Jaime Roques
Director of Special Projects, Open Health
Roy Mitchell
Executive Director, Behavioral Counseling & Education Services, LLC
Jada Netters
Coordinator, SU Office of Disability Services
Valaray Irvin, Ph.D.
Executive Director of SU Counseling Center/Licensed Psychologist
Nena Verrett-Gipson
Coordinator of Fitness and Wellness at SU Horace W. Moody Intramural Sports Complex
Past Team Members
Alyssa Provencio
2020-2022
Emily Laverty
2022
Shania Tyler
2022
Jaycee Reed
2022
Taylor Miller
2022
Akyia Washington
2022
Payton Klippert
2022
Awareness Days
February 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Day
March 18-24: National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
March 10: National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
April: National Minority Health Month
April: Alcohol Awareness Month
April 10: National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
April 10-16: STD Awareness Week
April 11-17: Black Maternal Health Week
April 18: National Transgender HIV Testing Day
May: Mental Health Awareness Month
May 18: National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
June: Pride Month
June 5: HIV Long Term Survivors Awareness Day
June: National Men’s Health Month
June 27: National HIV Testing Day
July: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
September 18: National HIV & Ageing Awareness Day
September 27: National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day
October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October 3-10: Mental Health Awareness Week
October 13: Herpes Awareness Day
October 15: National LatinX AIDS Awareness Day
October 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
December 1: World AIDS Day